Jonjo O'Neill concedes Cloth Cap will never have a better chance to win the Randox Grand National after he was handed a 14lb rise by the handicapper following his impressive win at Kelso.
The nine-year-old, who had already won the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury by a wide margin in November, landed the Listed Premier Chase in Scotland over the weekend by seven-and-a-half lengths.
He was shortened markedly to 6-1 favourite with most firms for the world's greatest steeplechase on the back of that victory.
Full list of the current 90 entries for the Randox Grand National
And the handicapper has now moved his rating up to 162, meaning Cloth Cap is now 26lb higher than before his two wins this season.
But with the Grand National weights already revealed, Cloth Cap will run off his old mark of 148 - carrying just 10st5lb - at Aintree Racecourse on April 10.
And O'Neill couldn't be happier with his improving chaser.
The Jackdaws Castle handler said: "He's come out of the race grand, which is nice.
"He's looked a better horse all year at home to be fair - it hasn't just been the ground.
"You can argue all you like with the handicapper and say the older horses (Definitly Red and Lake View Lad) didn't perform, Kim's (Bailey) horse (Two For Gold) didn't perform - but he still won by seven lengths, so you're only kidding yourself.
"This year you'd have to love the enthusiasm he has shown. He jumps, he stays and if he keeps doing that it would be lovely."
O'Neill won the Grand National with the Sir Tony McCoy-ridden Don't Push It in 2010 for owner JP McManus, but Cloth Cap will sport Trevor Hemmings' famous white, yellow and green colours at Aintree.
Hemmings has won the National three times before with Hedgehunter (2005), Ballabriggs (2011) and Many Clouds (2015) - the latter also won the Ladbrokes Trophy, then known as the Hennessy Gold Cup, before his victory at Aintree.
And O'Neill added: "We've got to get him there first - everything needs to go 100 per cent right before we can start getting excited.
"He'll never have the same weight again, that is for sure, so this is his opportunity.
"It's nice to be in this position if we can get him there safe and sound."
